We’re excited to welcome the Map of Biodiversity Importance (MoBI) Species Richness Layer from NatureServe to the Lens Library. MoBI provides information about the number of species in the continental US that are protected under the Endangered Species Act and/or considered to be in danger of extinction. Species richness for all species includes vertebrates, freshwater invertebrates, pollinators, and vascular plants and the richness value represents the number of species with habitat overlapping a given 990 meter cell.
This data is ideal for identifying areas that may be high priority for on-the-ground biodiversity conservation. The data will be visible beyond the property boundaries so you can zoom out in Lens and understand how your area of interest fits into the broader regional context. Along with other data in Lens, it offers users the ability to visualize areas of high importance for conserving a variety of species. We expect that conservationists and stewardship teams who are focused on protecting biodiversity on their managed lands will find this data particularly helpful for reporting. This dataset will provide invaluable insight for guiding effective conservation decision-making, and it is free to all Lens users.
